An Analysis of Facebook’s Impact on Youth.

By Nicola Austinc3130276

Contents• Definition of Social Networks• Brief History of Facebook• Facebook – In Simple English

(YouTube clip)• Facebook Pie Graph• Facebook Statistics• Pro’s & Con’s• Influences on Education• Initial Problems• How do we adapt?• Profile Viewing• Privacy • Teen Behaviour• Identity Management• Conclusion

Definition of Social NetworksAccording to Merchant (2012), “The social network is a way of conceptualising social groupings and interaction;…In an era of technologised sociability, this conflation of everyday human experience with mediated communication is significant in itself as social interaction becomes almost synonymous with, and is some cases indistinguishable from, the technology that enables it.”

Pempek et al. (2009) defines social networks in a more specific sense, “such as Facebook, MySpace, Friendster, LiveJournal and Bebo, are member-based internet communities that allow users to post profile information, such as a username and photograph, and to communicate with others in innovative ways such as sending public or private online messages or sharing photos online.”

Brief HistoryAcquisti & Gross (2005) explain, “In recent years online social networking has moved from niche phenomenon to mass adoption. Although the concept dates back to the 1960’s, viral growth and commercial interest only arose well after the advent of the Internet. The rapid increase in participation in very recent years has been accompanied by a progressive diversification and sophistication of purposes and usage patterns across a multitude of different sites.”

Facebook was launched in February 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg. The Harvard University student launched the program from his dormitory room.

Facebook – In Simple English.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJJNM2KWYtc

Click on either the Facebook icon or YouTube link!

“ Online social networking could be seen as a newer way of enhancing or modifying pre-existing relations- with the term probably best used as a way of capturing, in a rather general way, the use of web-based communication to build or maintain such things as friendship or interest groups, extended family ties, and professional, political or religious affiliations.”

(Merchant, 2011)

5%6%

23%

26%

17%

12%

7%4%

13-15

Fun Facebook Stats!

•Approximately 100,000 new Facebook accounts were created each month in 2011. •There are over 10.7 million Australians actively using Facebook (log in at least once every 30 days) – over 60% of the online population •54% of Australian Facebook users are female, 46% are male. •The largest age group of Facebook users in Australia is 25-34 year olds, followed by 18-24 year olds. •In 2011, more than 28% of all Australians on Facebook were between the ages of 35 and 54

•Brisbane is the most Facebook-obsessed city, with the highest percentage of Facebook penetration, followed by Perth, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. •Three areas of Melbourne Airport were included in the top 5 most popular places to check-in in Australia for 2011 (including number 1 and 2) •The average Australian user spends 26 minutes and 27 seconds on Facebook every time they log and will spend 6 hours and 46 minutes on Facebook per month

<http://thesocialskinny.com/100-social-media-statistics-for-2012/>

PRO’So Meeting new people.o Connecting with family and

friends in different countries.o Ability to receive news and

gossip in a rapid time.o Share pictures and stories

about your life with others.o The ability to share data,

interesting facts and educational findings with others.

o New way of learning.

CON’S

o Identity theft.o Time consuming and

distraction.o Excessive gossip.o Strangers.o Online bullying.o Teens searching for the

wrong attention.

Influences on Education

As the everyday use of web 2.0 and social networking sites increase, it has been debated as to how much educators should be incorporating this new way of socialising and learning into their curriculum.

“Some of the difficulties that educators face in tapping into their students’ experiences in the context of formal education may be beyond their control, constrained by curriculum and assessment regimes as well as institutional policies…” (Merchant, 2011)

Initial ProblemsAccording to Merchant, (2011) some of the difficulties educators may face in regards to their students and social networking sites (SNS) are:

- Open and unfiltered access to online interaction.

- Perceived notion that teenagers are more expert than their teachers when it comes to popular culture.

- Lack of knowledge or familiarity.

However…

“SNSs clearly do provide opportunities for geographically and temporally dispersed groups and individuals to communicate, exchange information and develop ideas, and from this perspective, we may be able to glimpse some new ways of structuring learning communities.”

(Davies & Merchant, 2009b).

So, how do we adapt?

The main priority for educators is to be able to engage with and understand their students. The problem being many of our teachers are unfamiliar with this new way of learning, as they have not grown up in a technology dominant society.

Merchant, (2011) suggests three solutions for our teachers:1. Learning about SNSs2. Learning from SNSs3. Learning with SNSs

Learning about SNSs

“This is crucial in understanding the worlds that our students inhabit as well as identifying the knowledge, skills and dispositions involved as social and cultural capital.” (Merchant, 2011).

Having the knowledge to create awareness about the internet and it’s resources is helpful for teachers so they are able to educate students on important issues which may sometimes be overlooked such as; privacy, safety and responsibility.

Learning from SNSs

One advantages of SNSs is the fact it has created a new way of communicating and learning between, either individuals or groups. It is a fresh approach to not only learning but also teach, so learning to interact with these sites in an educational manner can benefit students and teachers but offering a diverse learning tool to expand our overall knowledge.

"By understanding how students may be positively using these networking technologies in their daily lives and where the as-yet-unrecognized educational opportunities are, we can help make schools even more relevant, connected, and meaningful to kids.“ (Greenhow, C. 2011)

Learning with SNSsMerchant (2011) believes this strategy “involves making use of leaners’ existing online social networks to support and extend curriculum based work.”

Examples of ways in which we can extend the curriculum using SNSs are:- By using it as a resource for collaborative learning- Express different ideas and having the freedom to share links and other

interesting websites to others

"Think about not only incorporating technology into your lessons, but creating more and more compelling assignments so that 21st century skills, the kinds of things students will have to develop in terms of critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, global participation -- that these are incorporated into assignments. The best spaces will incorporate social media, and interacting with others.” (Cator,K. 2011)

Who is Viewing your Profile?

Privacy has been a major issue when it comes to SNSs and the Internet. Many people are oblivious or unconcerned over the seriousness of personal privacy.

“Personal data is generously provided and limiting privacy preferences are sparingly used. Due to the variety of richness of personal information disclosed in Facebook profiles, their visibility, their public linkages to the members’ real identities, and the scope of the network, users may put themselves at risk for a variety of attacks on their physical and online persona.”

(Acquisti & Gross, 2011.)

Percentages of Profiles Revealing Types of Personal Information(Acquisti & Gross, 2005)

Privacy Proof your Page!

Simple tips to ensure your personal information is secure. Ensure your Facebook privacy settings are set correctly.

For example, set your profile to be viewed by ‘friends only’. That way anyone you have not agreed to be friends with on Facebook will not have access to your information.

Don’t add or accept ‘friend requests’ from unknown people.

Don’t display your house address or phone number on Facebook.

“naming is always an exercise in power… The future of cyberspace, therefore, will be determined not only through the invention of new hardware, but also through the names we employ to describe it.”

(Gunkel & Gunkel, 1997:133)

Crying out for Attention?

Many people in the community feel that social networking sites, like Facebook, are just used for a place for teens to whinge and draw unnecessary attention to themselves. This image is quite a mild case compared to some of the posts displayed about committing suicide. Arguably, this is a major factor as to why SNSs can be viewed as an unhealthy habit or influence on teens.

Why are teens behaving this way?

“It becomes apparent from relevant research that online social networks simultaneously suggest genres of behaviour through their architectural elements to the behavioural idioms of their users, who customize them to connect better their offline and online interactions.”

(Papacharissi, 2009)

Offline vs. Online Identities

The impression we make of ourselves to others and the way we convey these identities is a vital part of everyday life, especially for teenagers who are trying to work out who they are and where they fit into society.

“In some sense, people have more control online – they are able to carefully choose what information to put forward, thereby eliminating visceral reactions that might have seeped out in everyday communication. At the same time, these digital bodies are fundamentally coarser, making it far easier to misinterpret what someone is expressing.” (Boyd, 2007)

Your Identity is made up of many things…

“While what teens present may or may not resemble their offline identity, their primary audience consists of peers that they know primarily offline- people from school, church, work, sports teams, etc. Because this direct link between offline and online identities, teens are inclined to present the side of themselves that they believe will be well received by these peers.”

(Boyd, 2007)

ConclusionResearch into the rapidly evolving world of digital culture will continue for many years, the impacts it has on our teens in only one small aspect of this expanding new world. It seems evident, teens are slowly trying to work out where they stand in society in both online and offline communities. Both, appearing to be completely different worlds. A dominant reason as to why the internet seems to be affecting teens is simply because some of the older generation are unaware of the processes involved with the online community. Therefore, drawing a line of division and providing a gap between these two generations. Making it difficult to be able to communicate and understand each other. Education about SNSs seems to be a key asset in ensuring, not only our youth but our community are aware of the impact of digital culture. However, the importance of embracing this new phenomenon must not be over looked.

The forever expanding opportunities available from the internet will allow individuals to expand their knowledge and skills in multiple ways. The use of internet and the influence of digital culture is only going to grow, so it is our responsibility to embrace this change in society and educate upcoming youth to maximise our chances of a successful and technologically advanced future.

Bibliography- Acquisti, A. & Gross, R. (2005) Information Revelation and Privacy in Online Social Networks

(The Facebook Case). ACM Workshop on privacy in the electronic society (WPES)- Boyd, D. (2007) Why Youth (Heart) Social Network Sites: The Role of Networked Publics in

Teenage Social Life. MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Learning – Youth, Identity, and Digital Media Volume (ed. David Buckingham). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

- Cator, K. (2011) Social Networking in Schools: Educators Debate the Merits of Technology in Classrooms. Huff Post Education. Retrieved on 24/10/12 from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/27/social-networking-schools_n_840911.html

- Merchant, G. (2012) Unravelling the Social Network: theory and research, Learning, Media and Technology, 37:1, 4-19.

- Papacharissi, Z. (2009) The Virtual Geographies of Social Networks: a comparative analysis of Facebook, Linkedln and ASmallWorld. New Media & Society. Sage Publications at univ of Illinois at Chicago Library.

- Pempek T, Yermolayeva Y & Calvert S. (2009) College Students’ social networking experiences on Facebook. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology. Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, USA.

- YouTube clip- Facebook in Simple English. (2010) Retrieved 10/10/12 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJJNM2KWYtc